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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Sports IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2014 Local Organizing Committee (LOC) along with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture are making sure that the product The Bahamas presents to the world is filled with various aspects of Bahamian culture. Preparations for the opening ceremony, set for 4.40 p.m. this coming Saturday is going smoothly according to IAAF Competitions Director, Paul Hardy. “The junkanoo is in full force here, you got a taste of it during the Bahamas High School Relays 2014, but I can tell you that the size of the band will double, the excitement will triple and we are going to use them to really soak up the atmosphere and provide the energy we want for this competition,” he said. LOC Events Director, Fred Ferguson said everything will be timed and precision will be first and foremost. “This whole thing is about inspiring the youths and they will be leading the parade, to bring in the placards that will all be very colorful representing the colors of The Bahamas with music supported by joint members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force bands,” he said. Ferguson added that members of Cadets and Rangers will also be involved because they will be responsible for bringing in the flags as well as doing some additional things. Revealing that young Bahamian artist Angelique Sabrina will sing the national anthem Ferguson said the ceremony will end with a spectacular junkanoo parade. “We have a joint junkanoo group that is 100 plus members strong and they will be there for the duration of the relays,” he said. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Dr. Daniel Johnson MP said the goal is to make the tourist remember the country for something other than sun, sand and sea. “We are branding ourselves as the number one sports tourism destination in this hemisphere and it is “Sports in Paradise”. It has to look that way, feel that way, and we have to perform that way. I think we will be a great host,” said Minister Johnson. Over 800 athletes from over 40 countries will compete in the 10 relay events. The event will have extensive TV coverage and will be seen by millions of viewers around the world in more than 100 countries. Over 100 journalists and up to 30,000 spectators are expected to attend the event.
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Nassau, Bahamas – The Bahamas will set itself apart, by producing an opening ceremony for the upcoming International Association of Athletics Federation's (IAAF) World Relays that has never been seen before.